So You’re Thinking of Being a Mechanical Engineering Major

As a mechanical engineering major, you not only learn the principles of engineering, but those of physics, design and structures, thermal-fluid sciences, control systems, manufacturing and materials science. It is one of the most diverse disciplines you can study and will offer a wide choice of industries in which to pursue a career.

Mechanical Engineering Major

Be prepared to jump right in

From the first day of your freshman year, be prepared to jump right in. The emphasis will be on mathematics and physics. (To succeed, you have to develop strong mathematical skills.) You’ll also be expected to learn the basic concepts of chemistry, civil engineering, chemical engineering and electrical engineering. But it won’t just be book learning. You’ll get lots of hands-on experience in robotics, mechatronics, automobile mechanics, instrumentation, power generation and computer-aided design.

During your sophomore year, your focus will be more on the engineering sciences, including mechanics of solids, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. By your junior year, your courses will become more and more centered on what it means to be a practicing mechanical engineer. You’ll apply what you’ve learned to real-life product design like machine systems, instrumentation, automatic controls, thermal systems and design projects, thermal energy systems, heat transfer, electronics, vibrations and mathematics. If you interests lie in nuclear, there’s a four-course nuclear technology curriculum available to juniors and seniors in the program.

Becoming a master in the field of mechanical engineering

In your final year, as a mechanical engineering major you will find yourself really mastering the field of mechanical engineering with the most rigorous courses in the program like Mechanical Vibrations and Thermal Systems Design. As a senior, you will complete a capstone project that will challenge you to design, develop, prototype and present a complex engineering system. When you graduate, you’ll be working on designs that people will be using every day so expect all your classes to add to your knowledge and experience.

Practically everything made will need your skills

Whether you’re interested in working in automotive, aerospace, biomedical, computers, energy conversion, environmental control, robotics or manufacturing, majoring in mechanical engineering is going to be the right choice for you. With a mechanical engineering degree, you could find yourself designing practically anything, from an automobile or airplane component to creating a medical device that improve people’s lives.